Challange - maxing output from 25 plants

[DD4Y]

If someone has a Health Canada Production Licence to grow indoors, they are commonly limited to 25 plants. (based on 5 gm/day consumption.)

The purpose of this thread is to share ideas on how a person can most effectively grow their supply. Ideally, how to max the gm/day ratio.

There are no rules as to what is a valid suggestion. Possible constraints
to be considered are-
1) Ease of growing. Considering that the growers have health issues that may limit heavy lifting, constant care, etc.
2) Cost. Many medical mj patients are living on limited funds and don't have the $$ needed to get a dream grow going.
3) Space... often at a premium, but not necessarily so.,
4) Odour control. Same as for everyone, but think cost reduction.
5) Security... need I say more

Why I am asking is that I am a licenced grower myself and I am also coaching another disable person who is licenced, and have been approached by a medical mj collective to give a presentation to med users. I am looking for suggestions to pass on.

So, what would you suggest to a person who was trying to set up a grow in these conditions? What constraints are there that I have not considered?
If you were a rookie grower, what would you want/need to know? I have my own ideas on all these subjects but for now, I would like to hear what others have to suggest. Thanks in advance for your help.

- I have posted this on Indoor Hydro because that is my fave forum, but that does not preclude an indoor soil grow.

 

[DD4Y]

bump it

 

[macster]

What your currently running yourself looks good except I'd bump up your lighting to a 1000 watt hps

 

[1tytersx]

dwc 5kw hire some1 to help =]

 

[DD4Y]

dwc 5kw hire some1 to help =]

Anyone could do that.. the difficulty is that in Ontario, people who are trying to live off a disability pension are often trying to make it on less than $900 a month.. and are often dealing with stuff like chronic pain, HIV, MS and the like. A thousand bucks for lights and gear is out of the question for them. My goal is to try and help them get the high grade product they need for minimal cost. This is about helping sick people who are struggling with poverty as well.

 

[blackone]

One big thing to consider: Would these people have access to clones, or would they have to either create those themselves or grow from seed?

The problem with creating clones yourself under these circumstances are obvious:
Gotta keep at least 1 mother - so only 24 plants left.
Can't prepare clones for next batch before harvesting - translates to a couple of weeks more between harvest. Also rules out perpetual setups (clones off clones etc...)
Can't always expect 100% of clones to root - Are they limited to starting 24 clones? Then they might only have 20 plants or less come flower time, unless they're gifted with green fingers.

Dialing in the cloning process to be as fast and succesful as possible would definitely be a priority.

 

[jumbo_grimes]

Interesting thread

Interesting thread

Not being Canadian I'm not up on the medi-grow rules. Can someone briefly explain them for me?

 

[DD4Y]

One big thing to consider: Would these people have access to clones, or would they have to either create those themselves or grow from seed?

The problem with creating clones yourself under these circumstances are obvious:
Gotta keep at least 1 mother - so only 24 plants left.
Can't prepare clones for next batch before harvesting - translates to a couple of weeks more between harvest. Also rules out perpetual setups (clones off clones etc...)
Can't always expect 100% of clones to root - Are they limited to starting 24 clones? Then they might only have 20 plants or less come flower time, unless they're gifted with green fingers.

Dialing in the cloning process to be as fast and succesful as possible would definitely be a priority.

Ok.. Assume that they have to keep a mother.. Clones are generally available in this area, but the patients are generally not in that supply loop and should stay out of it for security and privacy reasons.

Technically, they can't start clones prior to harvest of the previous plants. Some may stretch the rules, but it's best to assume total compliance.

As far as perpetual setups go, one suggestion has been to harvest 4 plants of a fast finisher, such as FLO every week. This should supply the 5 gm/day required plus allow for some accumulation. The patient/grower can keep up to 1.3 kg for future use.

 

[Blunt_69]

OK... unfortunatly a bullet in price has to be bitten. T4 lighting isnt exactly cheap, cheaper perhaps but at a major loss of lumen output. However, if you are truly interested in maximizing output from 25 plants, Real lights must be used. The best ones i have found(in canada) are the 600 watt hortilux HPS bulbs.The power to lumen output makes it a popular choice for many growers, as a 1000W uses sustantianlly more power for a lumen gain of just 18000. This is something to consiter as operating costs will also be on the minds of budget savvy growers. For a ballast and bulb is around 300$. The fan and hood to cool this light is another 300$. This is the single largest expense of any grow room but a definate must when trying to maximize. You just cant do it with fluoros.

Ok next soil vs hydro.

People are gonna debate me on this but I have grown both ways. key points

Soil
heavy pots
difficult watering
messy
almost impossible to screw up

Hydro
Automation adaptation(less overall work)
Quicker production
more sensitive feeding schedule

Hydroponics takes subsantially more work off startup and teardown but when it's up and running, work is nill. Depending on which system is used, can be very cheap.

Bottom line.. if you want to grow efficiently the starting price tag on a new smaller setup is around 1000$, however who you know and helpers can reduce this tag by about 300$

 

[stevewinthrop]

First off, get the MMJ collective to subsidize part of the cost of the basic light/exhaust system. We have several here in the US that do that... Basically they find a supplier, and if they're a nonprofit orginization, they offer tax credits to the supplier, and then buy the systems in bulk... IE, 50 lights, 50 fans, 50 filters. The supplier will give a volume discount, and generally sell for slightly above (or below) cost.

This strategy is KEY to helping sick and dying patients get the supplies they need. Now if you are running a class on how to grow, you'll want to show flood and drain tables... You can build them on the cheap real easy... Pond liner for the table, and you can even use pond liner to make the res. This is also one of the easiest systems to maintain. Only difficulty I can think of is getting the hydroton into and out of the tray.

If you're going with soil, I'd let people know about growbags and how cheap they are... Maybe even buy a couple hundred and bring em in.

Overall, nothing will beat 25 5 gallon buckets full of soil on ease... And if you use an airy mix (something with 50% perilite), they wont be all that heavy.


I dunno man, see if you can get htgsupply or a local canadian growshop to sell bulk kits to you and your MMJ group.

-- steve

 

[one Q]

Im supprised no one mentioned Hempy buckets. They are light and could be even lighter if you only use Perlite, but then you may have to water more than 1x a day. The thing about the HBs is that you can make them any size you need. Large tub, only needing to train and water few of them, or gallon trash cans for more variety. Then you could automate them too if you want. Oh, theire light-ness may translate to tipping in smaller containers.

Veg longer to compensate for clone time. And only flower 10 at a time. Clones=10 Flowering=10 Mothers=2 Margin=3 (incase you DO get gifted you have space under your limits) Though the margin may not be needed.

EC meter, and Maxi series GH. Poweders last WAY longer and more cost effective in the long run. But use the meter to check perameters.

That's all I can think of for now.

 

[00420]

Overall, nothing will beat 25 5 gallon buckets full of soil on ease... And if you use an airy mix (something with 50% perilite), they wont be all that heavy.

-- steve

even 100% perlite with drip ring's & drip line's the only thing you have to tote around is water and for me thats a pain so i run a line right to my room so all i have to carry is a hose

i have done the 25-50% mix with perlite/soil it grow's fine but my prob was either a watering everyday or b flitering the run off.... pita


all ad more later i gotta go to work....